politics
Justice Department Appeals Order to Remove Trump Name From Kennedy Center, Citing Donor Conditions
The Justice Department filed an emergency appeal this week asking a federal court to preserve President Trump's name on the Kennedy Center building while litigation continues. Officials warned that removing the name would require returning hundreds of millions of dollars in conditioned donations.
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The Justice Department asked a federal appeals court this week to keep President Trump's name on the Kennedy Center while litigation continues, warning that removal would force the return of hundreds of millions of dollars in donations. Lawyers for the administration stated that donors who pledged or already gave millions conditioned their gifts on the name remaining unchanged.
They added that the president raised $258 million from Congress and hundreds of millions more from private donors for renovations.
In May a federal district judge ruled that Congress designated the building solely for President John F. Kennedy and barred any other formal name. The center had until June 12 to remove the letters, but crews did not begin work until after midnight on June 13.
Workers assembled scaffolding and later covered the facade with a tarp. Letters were removed at 3 a.m. on June 13, yet the scaffolding and tarp remain in place. The Justice Department filing said that without the name, fundraising would halt and committed funds would have to be returned or terminated.
The center's executive director stated that the president committed to raise an additional $150 billion from private donors over the next two years. Lawyers for the Trump-appointed board argued that bylaws now tie donations to the name staying unchanged.
The judge last week denied a request to pause proceedings and ordered the center to explain the continued presence of the tarp and scaffolding by July 31.
